Visiting US President George W. Bush Friday hailed the "amazing changes for the better" that have taken place in China since his first visit to the country in 1975, saying Chinese people can now make their own decisions.
Recalling his impression of his first visit, he said, "in 1975,everybody wore the same clothes. But now people pick their own clothes," which he said has to do not only with the economy, but also with a different attitude towards the people.
"The individual demand for a product influences the production. And recognizing the desire of individuals in the marketplace is part of a free society, part of the definition of freedom," said the president when answering a question from a Tsinghua University student after he made a speech there.
(Xinhua News Agency February 22, 2002)
